Condensing a vapor produces electrical energy

ABSTRACT

Electrical energy is produced by condensing a vapor back to a liquid. The liquid is either aqueous or a low boiling hydrocarbon. A closed loop or an inverted “U” tube configuration yields similar electrical results. In the closed loop configuration, once a media is sealed therein, it lasts indefinitely. Feeding electrode is in the vapor phase and the collecting electrode is where the vapor is condensed back to a liquid thus yielding its electrical energy. Either configuration becomes auto-genetic when a vapor is present and is silent in operation.

REFERENCE CITED U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0001] 4,146,800 March 1996 Gregory- 290/44,55,1; 310/5,6,10; Schurig179/111; 60/202; 322/2,2A 4,206,396 June 1980 Marks 290/44,55;310/10,308,309, 11; 322/2A 4,285,481 July 1981 Biscomb 244/33,58,153R;290/43,44, 54,55; 415/2,3,7; 416/9,84, 85,86 4,324,983 April 1982Humiston 60/641,398; 290/1,53; 62/ 335,324D,328E 4,719,158 January 1988Salomon 429/101,50; 290/53,52 5,512,787 April 1996 Dedarick290/2,4R,42,43,44,53,54, 55,1R 6,100,600 August 2000 Pflanz290/4R,4A,4D,42,43,44,54, 53,55 6,160,318 December 2000 Komura290/1R,4R,43,44,53,54,55 6,182,615B1 February 2001 Kershaw 123/19;417/379,381; 60/ 325,326,398; 290/52,54 6,313,545B1 November 2001Finley- 290/24,43,53,54 Pscheidt 6,335,572B1 January 2002 Uno - etal290/1R,1A; 136/205,217; 431/350,76,46 53; 126/ 110E

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The generation of electricity on a large scale has been typicallyby two well know methods—the conversion of mechanical energy intoelectrical energy through the agency of electromagnetic induction, thusmaking a dynamo or by a chemical reaction of either acids or salts ondifferent metallic electrodes, hence a battery or dry cell. Asmall-scale method is by thermometry, which uses the fusion of twodissimilar metallic wires to form a junction that produces an electricalcurrent in proportion to the heat sensed by this junction. Photovoltaiccells or solar cells produce electrical energy by the action of light onthe cells. Fuel cells use the combination of hydrogen and oxygen toproduce electricity. Piezoelectric cells depend on pressure on crystalsto emit energy. Research is discovering still newer energy producers.

DISCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0003] It has been the practice to generate useful quantities ofelectrically power by conventional methods such as generators orbatteries.

[0004] Recent disclosures are showing newer discoveries as following:

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,396—Marks describes a method of using adispersed by wind aerosols of electrically charged water droplets andcollecting these droplets on metallic grids thus generating a largeamount of electric power at a high voltage output.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,481—Biscomb describes a tethered shapedairfoil containing a lighter-than-air gas to which wind turbines areattached for the production of electrical energy. The airfoil is held atan angle of attack to the wind direction so that maximum electricaloutput is obtained. An anchoring cable consisting of a power collectionlines and operating control lines simplify the tethering.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,158—Salomon describes a method to exploit theocean waves motion into electrical energy using a “U” shaped tubecontaining the combination of a liquid and hydrogen gas. The rockingmotion of the “U” tube causes a gas pressure differential to developwhich moves oppositely charged particles on to parallelelectrocatalyctic electrodes in a closed system. These parallelelectrodes collect the electric power for external use.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,572B —Uno describes a thermoelectric devicefor generating electrical power from combustion. The temperaturedifference between the high temperature side and the low temperatureside of a thermoelectric converter produces sufficient D.C. electricenergy after powering its internal system for practical usage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In accordance with my invention, I have discovered an electricalgenerator by condensing a vapor back to a liquid. While in the vaporphase, additional electrons can be added to the already availableelectrons by the known technology of adding an antenna with a diode tothe feeding electrode. This technology of the use of an antenna by radioand T.V. to collect the electrical energy that has been transmitted intothe air waves to drive these devices. The newly discovered use of avapor for electrical generation has been tested with aqueous or lowboiling hydrocarbons. The spread of the operating temperatures fromliquid to vapor and vapor back liquid is lowered by reducing thesystem's pressure. A lower temperature operation still produces copiousquantities of vapors. The configuration of a closed system loop at aninverted “U” tube has been demonstrated. The systems become auto-geneticupon the production of vapor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010]FIG. 1 shows a closed loop 1 electrical generator in accordancewith this invention. The loop is vertical and tipped sideways at about a45 degree angle by a support structure depending on the diameter of theloop and the diameter of the tube used. The loop 1 is made of anon-metallic material such as glass, ceramic, or plastic. Either anaqueous or a low boiling hydrocarbon liquid is heated by 2 to produce avapor. 2 is either an electric heating cartridge as shown, or any typeof waste heat source. To eliminate heat loss, the loop is lagged with aninsulating material 3 from the heating area 2 to beyond the feedingelectrode 4 and gauze 5. Access for filling the loop with the liquid tolevel 9 and for reducing the internal pressure of the loop is by valve17, which is also a sealing valve. Once filled to level 9 no additionalliquid is required for continual operation. Electrode 4 is the feedingelectrode to supply electrons to the vapor phase as they pass throughthe metallic gauze 5. Additional electrons can be supplied by antenna 10such as a whip, disc, screen or net using known technology with diode11. These electron laden vapors then pass from 4 to electrode 6 andgauze 7. Here they are condensed back to a liquid by cooling fins 8 thusyielding their energy to collecting electrode 6. Any electrical deviceplaced between 6 and a ground becomes operational.

[0011]FIG. 2 The use of a vertical inverted “U” tube is a differentsystem to exploit vapor to liquid by condensing to produce electricalenergy. This device is built on a tower or supported by non-conductingcables. Reservoir A uses a waste heat vessel while B is at a lowertemperature due to the heat given up by the condensing vapors. 1 is avertical riser tube or leg of such a length to operate under reducedpressure with a tepid liquid. The leg is painted black if using solarheating. 1 a is the down-corner of similar length as 1, and white ifsolar heating is used by 1. Both 1 and 1 a is non-metallic material asplastic, ceramic or glass. Electrode 4 is connected to 5, a metallicgauze through which the vapors produced in 1 passes and is the feedingelectrode 4 can be connected to an antenna 10 and diode 11 if additionalelectrons are required. These electron laden vapors then passed to thecollecting electrode 6 where they are condensed in 7 to a liquid againby the cooling fins 8, thus yielding their electric energy to electrode6. Valve 17 is connected to a vacuum source, which pulls the liquidlevels up in 1 and 1 a high enough to create a space for the vaporsproduced to travel. Valve 16 is a manual shutdown if the temperature in1 is insufficient to produce vapors.

[0012]FIG. 3 shows a method for making a movable feeding electrode 4,thus providing an automatic separation between 4 and 6. This separationdecreases the possibility of internal sparking. The temperature of theliquid in 1 is sensed by a temperature sensing probe 15, which sendsthis information to transducer 13. Transducer 13 then pushes or pullsfeeding electrode 4 with 5 to a controlled separation from electrode 6.This transducer also positions valve 16 to operate at optimum openinglinked by 14 by either mechanical, electrically or pneumatics. Electrode4 attached to 5 is now a disc of stainless steel or screen. A packinggland 12 acts as a seal. All other components as described in FIG. 2 andtheir operations are the same.

[0013]FIG. 4A plot of test results made to determine electrodeseparation in inches verses the current generated. Both aqueous or lowboiling hydrocarbons were used as the liquid of atmospheric pressure.The vapors produced by a boiler passed through a ⅛″ O.D. tube as thefeeding electrode. Various separations of the feeding and collectingelectrode were measured. The collecting electrode was an iced chilledcopper gauze. This system yielded measurable electric current. Adding anantenna and rectifier diode as discussed above in FIG. 1 displayed anotable increase of the current produced.

[0014] Various modifications of charges in systems of this presentinventor will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the abovedescribed embodiments. While the preferred embodiments have beendescribed, it is intended to claim all such embodiments falling withinthe true scope of this invention as defined by the following claim.

I claim:
 1. Electrical energy is generated by the condensing of vaporsof both aqueous or low boiling hydrocarbons rich in electrons in aclosed loop system, which provide a means of producing a vapor to bethen condensed back to a liquid again, thus a non consuming liquid; thevapors passing through a feeding electrode gaining electrical energythat is yielded on a collecting electrode as the vapor is condensed backto a liquid, thus making a continuous supply of D.C. electrical energythat is silent in operation.
 2. Any available heat source such as solarheating or waste heat can be utilized by adapting to an inverted “U”tube configuration using vertical tubes or legs of sufficient length toact as seals for reducing pressure operation and a movable feedingelectrode for maximum electrical generation at the collecting electrodewhere the vapor is condensed.
 3. All systems become autogenetic whenvapors are produced.